I was reading through a story my friend wrote and I noticed how she didn't use commas in some places I thought were needed. I cant' really explain it so I'm going to give a few examples from the story I'm writing.

When I'm writing and I use quotes for a character speaking I need to use a comma like this correct?

"Aw, crap," he muttered.

or

With a smirk, Joanus crossed his arms and said, "let's see you try."

Or.. Do I not use commas?

"Aw, crap" he muttered.

....and said "let's see you try."

So.. Commas when using things like "she said, she muttered, ect" or not?

My friend says No. I say yes :P Help?

I'm pretty sure you're using the comma correctly, as that's how I use it in my writing and I don't really recall my English teachers correcting me...

I'm not the queen of grammar though so hopefully somebody else will know for certain.

Well thanks for you input :3 I also use the comma like that. Now I wish I could get more confirmations :P and I wonder if its okay to not use it like my friend says ;o

Actually, I had someone comment on my comma use, and she said that the correct way was the first way that you used. ^^ I think you're doing it right.

You are most definitely doing it right. That's the way it was always taught to me in every English class I've ever been in... I can't imagine reading anything without going crazy if they didn't use commas in quotations properly!

Yep, you're doing it correctly. ;D

Thanks everybody for your help. ^_^b

You are doing it right. Every time someone uses any variation of the words "He/she said" somewhere around the quotation, they MUST use a comma.

I believe you are using it correctly. Another rule to consider is that if the part of the sentence can change position.

For example, this sentence can change.

This sentence can change, for example.

So perhaps this is why we use them around "he said, she said" sorts of situations.

"No, you mustn't!", she said.
She said, "No, you mustn't!"

I am uncertain, though.